“While I have a mandate from the membership of Fifa, I do not feel that I have a mandate from the entire world of football – the fans, the players, the clubs, the people who live, breathe and love football as much as we all do at Fifa. Therefore, I have decided to lay down my mandate at an extraordinary elective Congress.” – Sepp Blatter
Under a week after winning fifth term as FIFA president, Sepp Blatter has announced on Tuesday that he will resign from the office he sought to continue to hold. His resignation comes just a day after it was reported that his vice president, former CONCACAF chief Jeffrey Webb was in charge of transferring a total of $10 million in funds that were tagged in a massive investigation that recently led to the indictment of multiple officials across the game just last Tuesday. “Fifa’s interest are dear to me. That’s why I have taken this decision. What counts most for me, is the institution of Fifa and football around the world,” Blatter stated in a press conference on Tuesday afternoon in Zurich, Switzerland.
Sepp Blatter Resigns As FIFA President
Many officials around the footballing community were waiting for this, and some seemed to have put Blatter’s current term length as little as two months. In reality, it lasted four days. Dominic Scala, head of the FIFA audit and compliance committee, also spoke at the press conference, laying the guidelines for a new election. “I am dedicated to putting into place the conditions for the election of a new president. There will be reforms to how the elections are conducted. Under the rules governing Fifa, the election must be voted on by members at the Fifa congress. The president will ask the executive committee to form an extraordinary congress to elect a new president. While the timing will ultimately be up to the executive committee the timing of election likely to be between December and March (2016).”
Before departing, Blatter continued, “I have thoroughly thought about my presidency and the 40 years Fifa has played in my life. I love Fifa more than anything else and I only want to do the best. I decided to stand again for election for the good of football.”
Sepp Blatter has repeatedly come under fire for being the focus of multiple corruption investigations, and after the arrests made just a week ago, legal experts all agreed that the possibility of Blatter being indicted on racketeering charges were very high. One has to wonder whether Blatter’s resignation is just one more dodge, one more slight of hand trick to escape the consequences of the corrupt actions that so many feel he is behind. However, according to Swiss officials, Blatter is not directly under investigation by Swiss Authorities at this time.
Finally, from the official statement, “I would like to thank those who have always supported me in a constructive and loyal manner as President of Fifa and who have done so much for the game that we all love. What matters to me more than anything is that when all of this is over, football is the winner.”
The following is fellow LWOS Writer Michael Davies Take:
FIFA President Sepp Blatter announced on Tuesday afternoon that he was to call an extraordinary elective Congress in which FIFA would elect a new President.
Blatter Resigns as FIFA President
In a statement given to the world media he said: “I have been reflecting deeply about my presidency and about the forty years in which my life has been inextricably bound to FIFA and the great sport of football. I cherish FIFA more than anything and I want to do only what is best for FIFA and for football. I felt compelled to stand for re-election, as I believed that this was the best thing for the organisation. That election is over but FIFA’s challenges are not. FIFA needs a profound overhaul.
While I have a mandate from the membership of FIFA, I do not feel that I have a mandate from the entire world of football – the fans, the players, the clubs, the people who live, breathe and love football as much as we all do at FIFA.
Therefore, I have decided to lay down my mandate at an extraordinary elective Congress. I will continue to exercise my functions as FIFA President until that election.
The next ordinary FIFA Congress will take place on 13 May 2016 in Mexico City. This would create unnecessary delay and I will urge the Executive Committee to organise an Extraordinary Congress for the election of my successor at the earliest opportunity. This will need to be done in line with FIFA’s statutes and we must allow enough time for the best candidates to present themselves and to campaign.
Since I shall not be a candidate, and am therefore now free from the constraints that elections inevitably impose, I shall be able to focus on driving far-reaching, fundamental reforms that transcend our previous efforts. For years, we have worked hard to put in place administrative reforms, but it is plain to me that while these must continue, they are not enough.
The Executive Committee includes representatives of confederations over whom we have no control, but for whose actions FIFA is held responsible. We need deep-rooted structural change.
The size of the Executive Committee must be reduced and its members should be elected through the FIFA Congress. The integrity checks for all Executive Committee members must be organised centrally through FIFA and not through the confederations. We need term limits not only for the president but for all members of the Executive Committee.”
He went on to say “I cannot do this alone. I have asked Domenico Scala to oversee the introduction and implementation of these and other measures. Mr. Scala is the Independent Chairman of our Audit and Compliance Committee elected by the FIFA Congress. He is also the Chairman of the ad hoc Electoral Committee and, as such, he will oversee the election of my successor. Mr. Scala enjoys the confidence of a wide range of constituents within and outside of FIFA and has all the knowledge and experience necessary to help tackle these major reforms.
It is my deep care for FIFA and its interests, which I hold very dear, that has led me to take this decision. I would like to thank those who have always supported me in a constructive and loyal manner as President of FIFA and who have done so much for the game that we all love. What matters to me more than anything is that when all of this is over, football is the winner.”
This extraordinary move follows a week after the FBI dawn raids in Zurich and the high profile arrests of FIFA executive committee members.
Mr Blatter initially held firm and was defiant, leading himself into last Friday’s Presidential election which saw him remain as President of Football’s governing body.
In the face of unrelenting pressure from an FBI corruption investigation and microscopic attention from the world of football and the world’s media, Sepp Blatter has decided to do what he now feels is best for the game and step down.
Main Photo by Ennio Leanza/EPA
